True dat! A couple Sunday games at Fetzer got pretty disheartening late in the season... I don't know what has changed, but I do know: I like the way the squad is playing for one another, and the way Anson is now playing them! It has been a twisted path, but at the end of the day we are (without question) a world-class team, in the Final Four, and much more likely to be peaking than to be fading-- at this point, I would not bet against the Heels! The game against Stanford may be epic? This year's Stanford team is more physical and more attack-oriented than the possession-oriented team of past years, and that match-up will play to the Heels strengths. We are unlikely to be intimidated by a team that likes to play fast and hard! If we can put our attack together and execute in the attacking third, Stanford may have a Very Long Day. I certainly hope so! I am really looking forward to the weekend, as it seems this year's Heels may be peaking at exactly the right moment. Best of Luck to Them! Go Heels!!
This team has not shown up for the Sunday games this year, but put on a clinic in altitude at BYU. Maybe Anson's statement that the team isn't as fit this year still holds true. After running their behinds off for Thursday/Friday night games, maybe the teams poor performance in Sunday afternoon games came because the high pressure offense was too much. It seems like it would have affected an Anson team before this year, but who knows? The team was certainly not unfit for the BYU game. I guess we'll see where the team's fitness s if (and that's a huge IF) they can make it to the championship game after a later Friday matchup with a possession-oriented offense in Stanford.
Not doing well in Sunday games, especially with one day's rest, is usually a fitness or depth issue. Do UNC folks think either of those is a problem? I recall Anson mentioning fitness a couple weeks back.
I don't think so. While AD has been quick to address "fitness", I have been more inclined to jump on "coaching". However, I think (and hope) this discussion may be a thing of the past? Right now, the Heels seem to be an integrated machine, with players and coaches all pulling in the same direction of a Championship. In retrospect, we can't know who might have given more if they had been left on the field, or who might have done more had they had more minutes. What we can say is the Heels now represent as formidable a roster as Stanford has seen since 2009. And further, while Stanford is now doing well as an attack-oriented team, they are treading on ground that the Heels have pretty much owned for 30+ years. We will see this weekend how well that works for them? I'm hoping not so well?
I think many posters here have underestimated the challenge this year of managing a roster whose best players were involved in Ux WNT championship tournaments. Part of that is having key players gone for part of the season, but the most difficult part is managing their playing time once they return so that they are able to peak for the NCAA Tournament. From what I've seen, the UNC players now are at a very high energy level. From what I've seen, I'm also thinking that the pressure of being the defending national champs has somewhat worn down the Stanford players. I'm anticipating a great game. My instinct is that UNC wins, although a result for Stanford would not totally surprise me. CAUTION: When I make my own predictions, rather than relying on the RPI (actual or improved), my past record has not been very good.
I think Carolina needs to score twice to win it and that doesnt mean Dunn scores twice. Whether it's Ohai, Brooks, Lubrano, Green or etc., someone else needs to put the ball in the net.
http://www.topdrawersoccer.com/college-soccer-articles/womens-team-of-the-season-unveiled_aid28152 From TopDrawer: Amber Brooks was named POY. Crystal Dunn was also on first team All-America. Kealia on third team. Summer Green was on first-team all freshman. Hanna Gardner was second team all-freshman. Congrats ladies!
I also think 2 is needed but if it means Dunn socring twice I will take that too. I will take anyone scoring, a defender, a goalie, whoever.
http://www.theacc.com/sports/w-soccer/spec-rel/112812aaa.html Both Dunn and Ohai are in the 15 semifinalists for the Hermann trophy.
I'm not sure I fully understand UNC coach when he praises other teams athletic abilities comparing to his team. OK, Dunn is 5,2, Ohai isn't very tall either, but I've hardly seen a situation where opposite side player would outrun, jumped higher or out-bounced UNC player, usually it goes the other way! Is it just courtesy or I'm missing sth?
We are here in La Jolla the night before the semifinal. This is gonna be a great game. I think Dunn et al are going to bring disappointment to Stanford just as they did in 2009. But, either way, the future is bright in Chapel Hill. The senior class is a fine one, no doubt, and Brooks has to rank among the top midfielders ever. But, we have a lot of great players coming back and a few top talents coming in. Add Megan Brigmann back to the mix and you have a pretty awesome team. Who will fill Brooks' shower at holding mid- Gardner , Brigman, or Boyles- lots of possibilities. And no U-20 or U-17 World Cups messing things up....How does AD keep doing it?
There was a great account of ADs ramblings in the ESPN W preview of the Cup [url[http://espn.go.com/espnw/college-sp...ing-pressure-facing-stanford-semifinals]/url] Highlights were why Standford always beats him for recruits and why he passed on the Stanford job in the 90s.
Hi Gang, Well darn. We don't have a TV and the ESPN3 online streaming is blacked out. We can't stream ESPNU without a username and password for a Time Warner Cable TV account. Any of our of friends able to help out with that? --Martha and Lee Otherwise we are relegated to game tracker.
Minutes till kick-off... A lot of speculation (and anxiety) on the Stanford site. Pretty quiet here... I must say, I did not see this match-up coming. I did not foresee our getting a #2 seed and a pretty friendly draw. Neither did I imagine that the Heels I saw at the beginning of October would be playing like they are playing now. I have been pretty critical of Anson this season, and not overly optimistic about how this season would unfold, but I was wrong. In the only measure that really counts, this has been another exceptional Tarheel season! Despite injuries and missing WNT players, this year's Heels have reached the Final Four, and are peaking and playing at their best in a match-up against the defending champions! However tonight's match turns out, that is Great Coaching and I recognize it has included some tough decisions and player shifts. This is coupled with an awesome effort and great spirit by the gals on the team! This team should be very proud of what they have done this year. However this match turns out, the fact that the Heels are back in the final four should put everyone on notice that the tradition of Tarheel excellence lives on. Best of luck to them tonight! Go Heels!!
Try this link... not the greatest definition but you can tell what's going on. http://nowwatchtvlive.com/2011/09/w...-free-espnu-usa-channel-espnu-college-sports/
Oh yeah! Yeay Heels! Anson recently made the point that the best men's strikers hit it low and far post when the pressure is on. Ohai is sure my million dollar baby tonight! We be talkin serious money ball for sure! Nice game by Stanford in tough conditions. It was a fun game to watch, but I felt like the Heels put the pressure on early and played like they Owned the Right to Win. This felt a lot like past teams, before the days of "parity", when games were tough, but when the Heels never doubted they could bring it home. My most heartfelt congratulations to Anson for some astute coaching in this tourney, and to the entire squad for playing their hearts out and getting it done! One more game, and it is ours to win. We have lost to weaker teams than Penn. But we have beaten better. If we focus, we can come home Champions! Nicely done, ladies!! Keep it up! Go Heels!!!
Phenomenal team! When the biggest stars where resting subs pressed agst Stanford all the time. How impressive is that? And Ohai and Dunn were world class! Keeper was very solid, and that rookie from NZ showed so much toughness in 88 minute - wow! Class act coach too! I'm rooting for Tar Heels from now on!
The game was wet and we were soaked and it was pretty darn late for east coasters....but it was worth every second. The excitement of my 8 year old daughter when they won was priceless. This was Absolutely flawless flat back defense which I don't remember seeing played like this since the last time they put on a defensive clinic against Stanford in the 2009 college cup. Imagine that that back 3 Can play together for two more seasons, though I wonder who will move up it fill brooks' very big shoes. Gardner ? Or a returning Bridgman? Penn state looked tough last night. Consider that Illinois beat them 1-0 within the last month vs our 9-2 result against the same team...then again, they beat fsu and we didn't but we are a much stronger team than when we played fsu, and even then we controlled much of the play. I think unc will win, 2-1. Goals by Dunn and Ohia.